Prepayment-meter.



No. 667,069. Patented 1an. 29, |901.

F. P. cox. l

PBEP'AYMENT METER.

(Applicntionled Oct. 12, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

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Patnted lan. 29,' 90L F. cox. PREPAYMENT nner?.

(Applicstion med Oct. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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www WMM@ To, mc. mi Norms PEYEhs co., Novo-Elmo., wAsNmo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK P. COX, OF' LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

PREPAYM ENT-M ETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 667,069, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed October 12, 1899. Serial No. 733.340. LNo model.)

To 1f/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. COX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Prepayinent-Meters, (Case N o. 731,) of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of prepayment devices in which the insertion of a coin or token in a proper receptacle closes an electric. circuit and places the apparatus in operative condition.

My invention has for its object to provide an inexpensive attachment which can be applied to certain classes of meters as they now exist, and this without making any material change, so that ordinary recording-meters may be converted into prepayment recording-meters.

In the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a front elevation of a meter. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the coin-receiver. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the above with the supporting-plate in section, and Fig. 4 is a diagram of connections.

My invention is shown in connection with one of the ordinary forms of Thomson recording-wattmeters, in which A represents the frame; B, the field-coils; C, the armature; D, the damping-disk, and E the damping-magnets. This much of the apparatus is of standard construction, but in place of the usual registry a plate F is mounted on the front of the frame, and secured to this plate is the prepayment mechanism. Extending along the front of the plate is a pivoted lever G. This lever is provided at one end with a rotary coin-receiver H and at the other end with a counterweight I, the relation of parts being such that the counterweight always tends to raise the coin-receiver. The lever G is se cured to a shaft G', having tapered ends, which enter hearin gs formed in the screws G2. The screws are each provided with checknuts, and by altering the position of the screws in the brackets G3 the plane of movement of the lever can be changed. On the right-hand end of the lever is an adjustable clamp I and mounted therein is a piece of insulating material I2, which is arranged to force the contact .I against the contact J/ and close the circuit of the shunt-magnet K. The contacts J and J are mounted on an insulate ing-support, which is secured to the front of the plate F.

The coin-receiver consists of a wheel which is pivotally secured to the lever G, and form ed in the receiver are two pockets or receptacles H for receiving the coins or tokens. The apparatus is more particularly designed to receive coins of any suitable denomination, although tokens of any desired character may be substituted therefor, and for this reason it is necessary to provide means for insuring that the consumer shall receive full value for the coin or token deposited even though it be greatly worn. To accomplish this, a stop is provided consisting of a stationary curved piece F', which is mounted on the plate F, and a pair of movable pieces or projections H2, which are secured to the receiver and turn therewith. Located at the left of the receiver and secured to the plate F is a curved guide M, which prevents the coins from dropping out as the receiver revolves. After a coin has been deposited and the receiver has moved through approximately one-quarter of a revolution one of the projections H2 will engage with the curved piece F and prevent the receiver from rising under the action of the counterweight until the prepaid amount of energy has been consumed irrespective of the f precise diameter of the coin or token. After the receiver has moved to a point where the coin or token can be discharged the main circuit will remain closed, because the projections H2 hold the lever and coin-receiver in .the same position that they occupied when back of the coin-receiver and moves therewith, while the gear N is mounted on a shaft N2, which is provided with fixed bearings in the plate O. On account of the gear N being on the end of the lever G it has a slight angular movement on screws G2 as a center, as well as around the supporting-shaft H3.

On the upper end of the armature-shaft is a 'worm P, and meshing therewith is a wormwhecl P. This worm-wheel is mounted on a shaft P2, which also carries a pinion P3, that meshes with the gear N.

Located on the back of the plate F is an electromagnet K, the armature of which carries the main-circuit switch. The armature is normally held in the position shown bythe extension-spring II', but when the magnet is energized it is attracted andthe main circuit closed. The winding on the magnet is included in a shunt-circuit and is controlled by the contacts J and J.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: A coin or token on being deposited in the chute L falls into one of the pockets in the receiver II. This so increases the weight of the receiver that it overcomes that of the counterweight I, and the piece of insulation I2 closes the circuit between the contacts J and J'. As soon as this is done the magnet attracts its armature,therebyclosing the main circuit of the meter and also of the consumer. Current will now enter by mains I and 2 and after passing through the meter go to the translating devices 3 on the consu m ption-circuit. As soon as the translating devices are included in circuit the meter-armature begins to revolve and through the gearing drives the coin-receiver. After the receiver has moved through a certain angular distance the coin will be discharged; but the meter will continue to operate until the projection H2 enters the cut-away portion l1`3of the stop, after which the weight I causes the lever G to tilt back to its original position and open the circuit.

I/Vhat l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a prepayment mechanism, the combination oi' a magnet, a rotary coin-holder, means actuated by the weight of the coin or token for closing the circuit of the magnet, means for maintaining the circuit closed after the coin or token is discharged, and means for interrupting the circuit after the equivalent of the coin or token has been received.

2. In a prepayment mechanism, a coinholder geared to a moving part of the mechanism, the combination of a magnet, a switch controlled thereby, means actuated by the weight of the coin or token for closing the circuit of the magnet, and meansindependent thereof for maintaining the circuit closed for an interval of time after the coin or token has been discharged.

In a coin or token controlled apparatus, the combination of a receiver for the coins or tokens which is arranged to hold the coins or tokens during the greater portion of the time that the apparatus is in operation, but which discharges them before the operation of the apparatus is completed, a magnet, a switch controlled thereby, means actuated by the weight of the coins or tokens for closing an electric circuit, and means controlled by the coin receiver for maintaining the circuit closed for an interval of time after the operating coins or tokens have been discharged.

4. In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of an electric circuit, a magnet, a coincontrolled device for controlling the closing of the magnet-circuit, means for receiving the coin and holding it through a certain period of operation of the mechanism, means for discharging the coin before the operation of the apparatus is completed, and a means actuated by the coin-receiver which is active only during the latter portion ofthe operation, for holding the magnet-circuit closed until said operation is completed.

5. In a prepayment apliiaratus, the combination of a rotary coinreceiver, a circuitcloser actuated thereby, and means on the receiver, cooperating with a stationary part of the apparatus, for maintaining the circuit closed for an interval oi time during the normal operation of the apparatus.

6. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a rotary coin-receiver, a pivoted lever carrying said receiver, a switelreontact arranged to form a part of a circuit when a coin is deposited, and means for holding the lever in its operative position after the coin has been discharged lfrom the receiver.

7. In a prepayment device, the combina tion of a motor, a rotary coin-receiver, fixed and movable gears between the motor and the receiver, and a pivotcd lever for carrying the coin-receiver and also the movable gear.

S. In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of a motive device, a coin-receiver, gearing between the motive device and the receiver for driving the latter, a gear righflly secured to the receiver, and a pivoted support for the receiver and gear whereby they are moved angularly with respect to the driving-gears, at the same time maintaining them in mesh.

9. In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of a pivoted lever, a contact-closer mounted on the lever at one side of the pivot, the coin-receiver having separate coin-receiving boxes mounted on the lever at the other side of the pivot, a pivot for the lever, means for shifting the pivot sidewise for the purpose of bringing the parts into alinement, and means independent ot' the deposited coin for moving the lever.

l0, In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of a rotary coin-receiver, means for IOO IIO

changing the position of said receiver, and

means for positively holding the receiver in a certain position during a portion of its normal operation.

ll. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a coin-receiver mounted on a support for rotary movement, a support therefor Which is also movable, and a projection on the receiver engaging with a stationary part of the apparatus for holding the support against movement during a certain period in the operation of the apparatus, but permitting the receiver to rotate at all times.

l2. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of Aa motor having a rotary armature, a damping device acting as a load for the armature, a gravity-actuated circuit-closer, a main circuit-switch, and a magnet for actuating the switch, the circuit of which is controlled by the gravity-actuated circuit-closer.

13. In a prepayment mechanism, the combination of a motor mechanism,a frame therefor, a supporting-plate mounted on the motor-frame, a coin-chute secured to the plate, a rotary coin-receiver which is movable toward and away from the coin-chute, a pivoted lever for supporting the receiver, and a z FRANK P. COX.

Witnesses:

ALEX. F. MACDONALD, DUGALD MoKILLoP. 

